What time is it?Subject: Math Students will learn to recognize analog and digital clocks. They will also gain skills to tell time to the hour on both clocks. A lesson plan for grade 1 Mathematics By Alysia Baysden Learning outcomes Students will gain the ability to tell time to the nearest hour on analog and standard clocks. Teacher planning Time required for lesson 2 days Materials/resources manipulative clocks made by students digital clock for demonstration analog clock for demonstration (large manipulative) worksheets to assess the matching of analog and digital clocks showing the same time What Time Is It, Mr. Wolf? by Bob Beeson or other book about telling time flashcards with time to the hour written in digital format Pre-activities Review recognition and sequencing of numerals 1-12. Read What Time Is It, Mr. Wolf? by Bob Beeson as an introduction to telling time. Activities Day 1 1. Students will be introduced to the features and functions of an analog clock (face, minute hand, hour hand, numbers, and second hand). 2. Have a working clock to allow students to observe these parts in motion. 3. Model telling time to the hour using a large manipulative clock showing numerous examples guiding students to understand the concept of “o’clock.” 4. Pass out individual manipulative clocks and have students practice showing a given time. (Show the correct answer on the teacher clock after attempts are made.) Day 2 1. Review the parts and functions of an analog clock. 2. Review telling the time to the hour on analog clocks. (Have students come to the front of the classroom and manipulate the teacher’s clock to show a given time.) 3. Introduce a digital clock by showing a real working model. Allow the students to read and observe the numerals on the clock to note the way that it shows time to the hour. 4. Guide students through several examples to reinforce the two ways to show time to the hour. 5. The teacher will show some times in digital format and students will match that time on their analog models. 6. Students will use a paper assessment to assess knowledge gained in matching analog time to digital time. Assessment The teacher will use observation to assess knowledge when students are asked to show times on manipulative clocks. Students will match analog clocks to digital time on a written assessment. (This may be in the form of matching written out times to clock faces.) Common Core State Standards o Mathematics (2010) Grade 1 Measurement & Data 1.MD.3 Tell and write time in hours and half-hours using analog and digital clocks. The long and short of it! Subject: English Language Arts This lesson will assist students in recognizing and discriminating short and long vowel sounds. A lesson plan for grade 1 English Language Arts Learning outcomes The students will be able to identify long and short vowels sounds. Teacher planning Time required for lesson 4 weeks Materials/resources Long and short vowel songs: the long vowel songs that my coworkers and I made up are listed in Activities and the short vowel song can be found on page 56 of The Big Book of Phonics Fun A variety of books focusing on a particular vowel sound Slates and wipe off markers. The books, The Big Book of Phonics Fun by Barbara Wilson and Phonemic Awareness by Jo Fitzpatrick, et al. Pre-activities Students have already discussed the vowel letters, sounds and vowel patterns. Activities 1. Begin the lesson by singing the following songs. All are to the tune of “Are You Sleeping?”: The Long A Song Where is long a? Where is long a? Here I am. Here I am. I am in a cake plate name game, and snake lake. a a a a a a The Long E Song Where is long e? Where is long e? Here I am. Here I am. I can see Zeke’s feet. He eats beans and real meat. e e e e e e The Long I Song Where is long i? Where is long i? Here I am. Here I am. I am in a lime pie, bike hike and wide tire. i i i i i i The Long O Song Where is long o? Where is long o? Here I am. Here I am. I am in a row boat Toad’s toe and Rose’s coat. o o o o o o The Long U Song Where is long u? Where is long u? Here I am. Here I am. I am in a cute suit, cube tube and June’s flute. u u u u u u Have a student draw a line under the words with the chosen vowel sound or all the different vowel patterns (ex.a, a-e,ai,ay). 2. Teacher reads selected books focusing of the vowel sound you are working on. Students listen carefully for the particular vowel sound. After the reading, students call out the words from the story with the particular vowel sound. The teacher writes these on the board as the student spells them. Discuss the words that rhyme, words that have the same vowel patterns, number words, action words etc. 3. Students can use slates and markers to write a vowel pattern (ex. a-e) as the teacher calls out a word for them and they finish writing the word by filling in the consonants. (ex. take). 4. Students can get in small groups and look in library books, reading books or any other available resources to find words with particular vowel sounds. The group with the most words at the end of a designated time is the winner. As a challenge, ask each group to read their list. 5. Using two or three phoneme words sing the song “The Sounds in the Words” (to the tune of “The Wheels on the Bus”). Which goes like this: The sounds in the word go c-a-t/c-a-t/ca-t. The sounds in the word go c-a-t. What is my word? Have students write the word on their slates. This can be done with any word replacing cat and any vowel sound you are working on. Assessment Teacher Observation Oral Student Feedback Activity Worksheets Journal writing Supplemental information Comments We spend about 15 minutes each day working with the vowel of the day. Some vowels may require more practice because the children have trouble distinguishing them, like i and e. It takes about 4 weeks to do all the vowels and vowel patterns, but the songs are basically the same. I select a variety of books that emphasize each vowel and check them out of the library while I am working on that vowel, as well as pulling books I already have in my classroom library. This lesson plan gives you a variety of activities you can do with vowels. I choose one or two of the activities to do with a vowel each day.The children really enjoy the songs and activities and they don’t realize they are learning at the same time! Common Core State Standards o English Language Arts (2010) Reading: Foundational Skills Grade 1 1.RFS.2 Demonstrate understanding of spoken words, syllables, and sounds (phonemes). 1.RFS.2.1 Distinguish long from short vowel sounds in spoken single-syllable words. 1.RFS.2.2 Orally produce single-syllable words by blending sounds (phonemes), including... Twisters in a jar Subject: Science The class will discuss the motion, causes and effects of a tornado. The student will also be able to name the safety steps one should take when a tornado occurs. A lesson plan for grade 1 Science By Andrea Allen Learning outcomes To demonstrate the motion, causes and effects of a tornado. Also to demonstrate the safety steps one should take during a tornado. Teacher planning Time required for lesson 60 minutes Materials/resources Materials per child: one clear baby food jar with lid one toothpick one teaspoon-sized measuring spoon Other materials: water five liquid measuring cups five small cups of liquid soap salt Tornado Alert by Robert James Pre-activities Discuss the different types of weather. Discuss the concept of a tornado. Activities 1. Show students a large tornado in a bottle. This is made by fitting two 2-liter bottles together by their necks. One bottle is filled with blue water. Turn the bottles upside down, and watch as a tornado shape within the water appears. Discuss the students’ responses to this demonstration. Explain that today they are going to learn about tornadoes and what one should do in case one occurs. 2. Read story Tornado Alert by Robert James, (or another appropriate tornado/weather resource book). Ask students the following questions: o What makes a tornado? o What kind of cloud does a tornado come from? o What is the weather like when tornadoes occur? o Where do most tornadoes occur? o What would it be like if more tornadoes occurred where we live? o What should you do when a tornado occurs? (During this time, students should walk through the steps to take during a tornado drill.) 3. After discussing the answers to each of these questions, explain that students are now ready to make their own tornado in a jar. This is an activity that works well if done at tables with 4–5 students per table. o Have students fill their jars with 1/3 cup of water. o Next students add one teaspoon of salt to water. o Using a toothpick, students add one drop of liquid soap to water. o Students then need to place and tighten lid to jar. o 4. Instruct students to shake or turn their jars in a circular motion, while holding on to the top of their jar. Students should then observe a tornado shape within their jar. As closure for the lesson, review causes of tornadoes and steps to take when one occurs. Assessment Teacher observation of “Twisters In A Jar” activity and completed “Twisters.” Students’ answers to comprehension questions from story. Teacher observation of students’ actions during tornado drill. Supplemental information Comments This lesson was part of a unit of study on weather, which my class did during National Weather Awareness Week. North Carolina Essential Standards o Science (2010) Grade 1 1.P.1 Understand how forces (pushes or pulls) affect the motion of an object. 1.P.1.1 Explain the importance of a push or pull to changing the motion of an object. 1.P.1.2 Explain how some forces (pushes and pulls) can be used to make things move without touching... North Carolina curriculum alignment Science (2005) Grade 1 Goal 4: The learner will make observations and conduct investigations to build an understanding of balance, motion and weighing of objects. o o Objective 4.01: Describe different ways in which objects can be moved. Objective 4.03: Investigate and observe that objects can move steadily or change direction.